Acquires one of Denmark's leading food trading companies

Through the subsidiary FDS - Food and Drink Suppliers AB, Hexagon has signed a contract entailing the acquisition of Bech & Kjeldahl A/S in Herlev, outside Copenhagen. The acquisition of Bech & Kjeldahl, which become a part of the Hexagon Group as from 1 July 1998, is of strategic importance since it entails an important stage in the build-up of FDS on a Nordic basis. By this acquisition, FDS has become one of the leading companies in the Nordic region in its business area, with market leaders in both Sweden and Denmark. Substantial synergy effects between the companies in the Group are assessed as resulting in a positive outcome for both invoiced sales and earnings. FDS - Food and Drink Suppliers was formed in the autumn of 1997 against the background of the structural changes that are in progress within the Nordic food industry, where a growing number of players are operating with the entire Nordic region as their market. FDS´ commercial concept is to provide the Nordic food and pharmaceuticals industries with ingredients, raw materials and packages. As a result of the acquisition of Bech & Kjeldahl, invoiced sales in FDS amount to roughly MSEK 900 on a whole year basis. FDS already includes AB R Lundberg and L G Fredriksson International AB. In 1997, Bech and Kjeldahl had a turnover of MDKK 248 and the workforce totalled 26. The company imports and distributes raw materials to the Danish and Nordic food industries, as well as to catering firms in Denmark and Poland. Hexagon is an industrial and commercial group whose business concept is to acquire medium-sized industrial companies and develop them in long term. The company is listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange and, in 1997, turnover amounted to SEK 4.2 billion. Landskrona, 9 June 1998 HEXAGON AB (publ) Börje Andersson President and CEO For further information, please feel free to contact: Börje Andersson, President and CEO, Hexagon AB, tel. + 46-418-44 92 00 Claes Lindkvist, Investor Relations, Hexagon AB, tel. +46-70-585 18 67 Raoul Hasselgren, Board Chairman of FDS - Food and Drink Suppliers AB, tel. +46-8-679 54 10 Leif Jørgensen, VD, Bech & Kjeldahl A/S, tel. +45 44 53 56 53 or +45 40 55 62 33